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FBI closes investigation into Dakota Indian activist

A Minnesota American Indian activist says the FBI has closed its investigation into a controversial speech she gave at Winona State University.

The Dakota Indian scholar Waziyatawin emailed friends and family this week saying an FBI agent told her he is no longer looking into claims that she made terroristic threats in November at the university.

In the email, Waziyatawin said the agent listened to a recording of the lecture and determined that she did not say the things attributed to her in a letter to the editor of the Winona Post.

In a recording of the speech obtained by the Winona newspaper, Waziyatawin did suggest "attacking infrastructure" as a way to dismantle Western culture, and said violence was inevitable as Native Americans work toward seeking justice.

Waziyatawin could not be reached today for comment, but her husband, Scott Wilson, confirmed the phone call she received from the FBI this week.

The FBI would not comment on Wazyiatawin, and has never publicly confirmed it was investigating her.